This is the final window for Cowboys to trade George Pickens

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 25: George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys in action against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on December 25, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It has been quite the year. Next month will mark the first anniversary of the Dallas Cowboys trading for George Pickens. The Cowboys made the deal knowing that Pickens had a 2025 season laced with their kryptonite in that he was entering a contract year.

To their credit, the Cowboys have handled the Pickens situation well this offseason by placing the franchise tag on him (and particularly the lack of drama around it all). Dallas has Pickens for south of $28M for the upcoming season specifically, unless a long-term deal is worked out. George is coming off of an incredible season for the team and certainly earned a market rate deal. The particular details of that market are, as always, subject to discussion and debate.

This is the final window to trade Pickens

Even though there are many Cowboys fans against the idea of trading George Pickens, as with anything, there is always a price that can move someone off of their position.

Whether you think the Cowboys should or shouldn’t trade Pickens, the reality is that the 2026 NFL Draft is next week. This is important as it offers the last practical opportunity to deal Pickens. If he is going to get traded, it would stand to reason that it would be sometime before the draft’s conclusion.

As noted, it is hard to fully rule out any sort of trade without knowing what is hypothetically being offered. This whole idea sparked to mind after seeing an Instagram post that suggested the Cowboys could net a first-round pick from the Baltimore Ravens (14 overall).

Imagine that specific hypothetical. Say the Cowboys didn’t trade up (although rumors keep flying about them doing so) and walked away with something like Jermod McCoy and Keldric Faulk at 12 and 20, respectively. I recognize that we have different feelings about what would be best, but just go with it for this conversation.

If they had 14 in the middle there they could help the wide receiver group for the future with someone like Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson. Maybe Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr.. A very strong, young, and financially prudent nucleus would be set on both sides of the ball for the next half decade.

Maybe the Cowboys decide that they are content with the Pickens situation as it is and decide to ride it out through 2026. There is certainly logic to that.

If they are going to pursue anything else though, the time is running out for that to happen.